White Collar Factory, Old Street

As a naturally-ventilated spec-office with a focus on smart servicing, flexibility and adaptation to future uses and likely future climate, the White Collar Factory (WCF) at Old Street Yard is a brave and bold iteration of our five-year research project for Derwent London. A 16-storey tower is placed at the epicentre of London’s Tech City; Silicon Roundabout. A series of new alleys and passages connect a new public realm and the tower to two retained buildings and three new ones, all between four to five storeys. Together, they offer a mix of living and incubator working spaces to make a new place in the city. Featuring long spans, flexible floor plates, operable windows, generous volumes and robust construction, the tower represents a new type of office building that takes its cue from the multi-level factory typology. Now on site, the project has already become a trademark for a building type that combines the efficiencies of a new build with the character of a 19th century warehouse.